Environmentalists to move Bombay HC against CIDCO for failing to remove structures on landslide-prone areas

Navi Mumbai: A group of environmentalists have decided to move the Bombay High Court against City and Industrial Development Corporation. (CIDCO) which they said has failed to take any action against 30 illegal religious structures on the slopes of landslide-prone Belapur and Parsik Hills despite several judicial orders and state government directives.

“It is appalling that CIDCO has not acted violating its own commitment given on oath to the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) to demolish the 29 structures on Belapur Hill and one on Parsik hill,” said activist Krishnan Potti.

Potti and others are in active consultations with their legal counsel on filing a writ petition in the High Court.

“We have nothing against the religious structures or beliefs of the people, but the temples built dangerously pose risks to lives as the soil on the hill has become loose and landslide-prone due to the uprooting of hundreds of trees for the construction,” said NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar.

Some temples have also started expansion despite the CIDCO notices to them. Some of the religious structures can accommodate over a thousand devotees and even their lives would be in danger, Potti said.

As per the Supreme Court orders any illegal religious structure in public places should be categorized for demolition, regularization and relocation. But the Belapur hill temples fall under the first category and notices have already been served on them after a joint survey by CIDCO and NMMC, the MSHRC has been told by various authorities.

The CIDCO officials are simply procrastinating, said local resident Kapil Kulkarni and wondered if CIDCO would act after an Irshalwadi type tragedy strikes the hills. Close to 80 people died and an entire village in Maharashtra’s Raigad district. was wiped out in the landslide on July 23,2023.

Several residential complexes and rowhouses have come up on the plots leased out by CIDCO along the hill bottom

The Commission had earlier ordered CIDCO and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) in August 2024 to act against the illegal structures. This followed MSHRC taking suo motu cognizance of media reports based on NatConnect’s campaign, along with residents, to save the hill from the potential dangers of landslides that could endanger lives and properties.

CIDCO has not taken any action and passed the buck to NMMC on the grounds that the Supreme Court mandated the municipal corporation level committee to act against illegal religious structures in public places.

The civic body has responded that the hills on which the illegal structures came up are under CIDCO’s control and hence it is the latter’s responsibility to take action. The Forest Department has also confirmed at the MSHRC that the hills are under CIDCO control.

With CIDCO making no visible moves, NatConnect sought an update from the Urban Development Department under the Right To Information (RTI) Act.

The UDD, in a letter signed by State Information Officer Lakshmikant Jadhav, informed Kumar that CIDCO Managing Director and NMMC Commissioner have been reminded of the Human Rights Commission’s order and the need to implement it.

“We have also complained to CIDCO chief vigilance officer Suresh Mengade who merely promised to look into the issue,” said activist and advocate Himanshu Katkar.

"As the last resort, we shall now move the High Court," the activists said.